Aeroplane



Oct. 31, 1933. J. w. PHILLIPS 1,932,532

AEROPLANE Filed Aug. 24, 1931 Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 24,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an aeroplane.

Oney object of the invention is to provide an aeroplane of the character described having auxiliary means for assisting in propelling the craft.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for stabilizing the craft in case the main driven propeller should become disabled.

A still further feature of the invention resides in the provision of auxiliary means which will be of material assistance in landing in case the craft becomes disabled and particularly should the motor or main driven propeller cease to operate for any reason.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the aeroplane,

and

Figure 2 shows an enlarged sectional view, taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a fuselage wherein there is mounted a conventional type of motor, (not shown) which is operatively connected with, and drives the main propeller 2, located in front of the fuselage. The numerals 3, 3 designate the wings of the plane, which may be constructed in any selected manner. In front of each Wing there is an auxiliary propeller 4 which is xed to the forward end of the propeller shaft 5. The outer end of each shaft 5 is supported by, and rotatable in, a suitable bearing 6, which is fixed in place by the brackets 7, 7. The inner end of each shaft 5 has a beveled pinion 8, fixed thereon which is in mesh with a beveled gear wheel 9, fixed on the longitudinal shaft 10. This shaft is located in the longitudinal pocket 11, in the upper side of the corresponding wing 3 near its forward edge. This pocket is preferably arcuate in cross sectional contour. On opposite sides of each bevel gear wheel 9 there is a series of longitudinal vanes 12 which radiate from the shaft forming impellers, and which sweep around the walls of the pocket 1l. These vanes are of such radial width that one of them will always be exposed to the wind above the upper surface 50 of the corresponding wing.

As the craft travels through the air the force of the air current, which moves relative to the wings over the upper side thereof, will cause the vanes 12 to revolve, thus rotating the shafts 10 and 55 thus driving the propeller shafts 5 and the propellers 4 fixed thereon thus materially assisting in the propulsion of the craft through the air.

In the underside of each wing near the rear margin thereof are the longitudinal pockets 13,

60 arcuate in cross sectional contour wherein are 193i. serial No. 558,995

located the longitudinal shafts 14 on which are xed the radial vanes 15 forming impellers. 0n these shafts 14 are fixed the beveled gear wheels 16 which are in mesh with and drive the pinions 17 which in turn are xed on the transverse shafts 18. The forward ends of the shafts 18 have the pinions 19 fixed thereon which are in mesh with the beveled gear wheels 9. As the craft moves through the air, the vanes 15 will be revolved and the shafts 14 rotated thus driving the shafts. 18 which will further assist in driving the propellers 4.

In case the propeller 2, driven from the motor, should for any reason become disabled, the propellers 4 will lend some assistance to the craft as it moves through the air to the end that said craft may be brought to the earth and landed safely. Particularly should the main propeller 2 become disabled and the craft fall into a nosedive, the auxiliary propellers 4 will materially assist in straightening out the craft so that a safe landing may be made.

Under certain conditions it may happen that the propellers 4 will drive, rather than be driven by, the corresponding vanes 12 and in such case the resistance which said vanes would otherwise offer against the air through which the craft is passing will be eliminated.

The drawing and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an aeroplane having a fuselage, wings, and a power driven propeller; auxiliary propellers mounted on the wings and arranged in front of said wings, said wings having longitudinal pockets, impellers on the wings mounted in said pockets and adapted to be rotated by the air as the craft moves through the air and operative connections between the impellers and said auxiliary propellers whereby the latter may be driven from the former.

2. In anaeroplane a power driven propeller and auxiliary propellers, impellers above and beneath the wings of the plane and partially housed within said wings and arranged to be driven by the air through which the craft is moving, means for operatively connecting said impellers to the auxiliary propellers for driving the latter from the former.

JOHN W. PHILLIPS. 

